Direct comparison of antibody responses to four SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Mongolia
Naranjargal Dashdorj, Oliver F. Wirz, Katharina Röltgen, Emily Haraguchi, Anthony S. Buzzanco, Mamdouh Sibai, Hannah Wang, Jacob A. Miller, Daniel Solis, Malaya K. Sahoo, Prabhu S. Arunachalam, Alexandra S. Lee, Mihir Shah, James Liu, Sumiya Byambabaatar, Purevjargal Bat-Ulzii, Anir Enkhbat, Enkhtuul Batbold, Delgersaikhan Zulkhuu, Byambasuren Ochirsum, Tungalag Khurelsukh, Ganbold Dalantai, Natsagdorj Burged, Uurtsaikh Baatarsuren, Nomin Ariungerel, Odgerel Oidovsambuu, Andreas Bungert, Zulkhuu Genden, Dahgwahdorj Yagaanbuyant, Altankhuu Mordorj, Bali Pulendran, R. Sharon Chinthrajah, Kari C. Nadeau, Theodore S. Jardetzky, James L. Wilbur, Jacob N. Wohlstadter, George B. Sigal, Benjamin A. Pinsky, Scott D. Boyd, Naranbaatar Dashdorj
Abstract
Different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are approved in various countries, but few direct comparisons of the antibody responses they stimulate have been reported. We collected plasma specimens in July 2021 from 196 Mongolian participants fully vaccinated with one of four COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and Sinopharm. Functional antibody testing with a panel of nine SARS-CoV-2 viral variant receptor binding domain (RBD) proteins revealed marked differences in vaccine responses, with low antibody levels and RBD-ACE2 blocking activity stimulated by the Sinopharm and Sputnik V vaccines in comparison to the AstraZeneca or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines. The Alpha variant caused 97% of infections in Mongolia in June and early July 2021. Individuals who recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection after vaccination achieve high antibody titers in most cases. These data suggest that public health interventions such as vaccine boosting, potentially with more potent vaccine types, may be needed to control COVID-19 in Mongolia and worldwide.